Luong Form Conversations

Mike McLendon is comedian who has over 20 years of improv experience as a performer, coach, and teacher. He taught me a thing or two about Group Games and he shares some of those secrets in this episode.

Mike's Plugs:

⁠@MikeMcLendonImprov

How I Met Your Sitcom

Dennis Curlett is a random guy who wanted to talk to me about improv—more specifically, the finer points of Team Sizes. And he actually had some interesting insights for a guy I met off the street.

Dennis's Plugs:

@FutureMeDennisC

www.ddcscreenwriting.com

Fellow improviser, podcaster, and Californian Conner McCabe shares us an extensive discussion about prepping for house team auditions.

Conner's Plugs:

@⁠Conner_McCabe

@CallMeByYourGamePod

Improv legend Billy Merritt walks us down his improv journey and the evolution of the UCB theater.

Billy's Plugs:

@⁠BillyMerritt

UCB Training Center

World's Greatest Improv School

Every improviser you've ever met started off as a stranger, including the guest for this episode: Adri Diaz. Adri and I discuss the differences between performing with strangers as opposed to teammates.

Adri's Plugs:

@AdriMFDiaz

@FreshFishComedy

@MenudoComedy

Nothing can be more taxing than post-improv activities. And no one knows that better than my guest, Lilliana Winkworth.

Lilliana's Plugs:

⁠@LillWink

⁠@SadFunnyShow

@RumorsImprov

Actor, improviser, filmmaker, and Bachelor scholar Tess Higgins talks about the importance of reputation and the prevalence of gossip.

Tess's Plugs:

⁠@TessDHiggins

⁠@HiBabyGorgeousImprov

@Him_TheFilm

Legendary improviser, actor, and teacher Will Hines stops by to share his early days as an improv student and give advice on heightening.

Will's Plugs:

⁠@WillieBHines

⁠@WGImprovSchool

www.wgimprovschool.com

Lehr is an improviser, actor, and editor from Ohio. You've probably seen him blacking out your set from the back of the Clubhouse. He and I discuss the demands of hosting and producing an improv show.

Lehr's Plugs:

⁠@LehrBeidelschies⁠

@StemKidzLA⁠

@Grimace_Improv⁠

@FargoBeachImprov

Erin is a filmmaker and improviser from Seattle. She has pretty much done it all when it comes to improv and is here to explain how to choose the right improv form for your team.

Erin's Plugs:

@erinonainen

@torettoimprov

@emily.improv

@wildchildimprov

www.erinkellysmith.com

Sahil Desai is an improviser from Botswana by way of San Francisco. He's now on the new UCB Lloyd Team "Sorry, I'm in London." Sahil breaks down how he incorporates game-style improv in to his narrative improv troupe, the Drunk Theatre Company

Plugs:

@Sahil

@TheSauceImprov

@DrunkTheatreCompany

@SorryImInLondon

@GunkImprov

Stephanie is an improviser who came up in Chicago by way of Ohio. She is a member of the UCB Harold Team, Keanu, and one of my favorite indie teams, Shag. Both of which pull off great group scenes/games.

Stephanie's Plugs:

https://instagram.com/stephburch1

https://instagram.com/shag.improv

https://instagram.com/keanu.improv

James has been improvising for dozens of years across the country. He is a member of one of my favorite Harold teams, Leroy, and the coach of my Lloyd team, Odyssey. James breaks down how to do Openings that result in the best Premises. James's Plugs:

@pizzamannion

Cara is a writer and improviser from Chicago. We were in the same audition group that led to her journey on Harold Night and my journey on Lloyd. Listen and we compare and contrast house vs indie improv.

Cara's Plugs:

⁠@CaraMeyers

@GagUCBImprov

@WILD_Improv

Miranda is a multi-coastal multi-hyphenate, but I know her best as a veteran LA improviser. In this supersized episode, Miranda and I break down how to approach improv as an actor, a writer, and/or a director.

Miranda's Plugs:

⁠@MiranduhHartHeartsYou

Chris is an improviser from New York and he's my teammate on our Lloyd Team, Odyssey. Chris and I put on a clinic on improv support moves.

Chris's Plugs:

⁠@ChrisTcholakian

⁠@EverythingNowShow

Sam is an LA actor, improviser, and writer from Mississippi by way of North Carolina. Sam and I share our experiences with improv in different regions. Sam's Plugs: ⁠@SamLDi

⁠@HeadbuttComedy

⁠@WhistlingPrinceImprov

Kati is an actor, improviser, and writer with Massachusetts attitude and valley girl charm. Listen as Kati and I discuss some of the benefits we didn't intend on gaining from doing improv. Kati's Plugs: ⁠@KatiOHearn ⁠@StemKidzLA ⁠@TheAgendaComedy

Jake Jabbour is an improv performer, teacher, and business owner from Colorado with possibly the longest journey to get to UCB Harold Night. Jake and I share our thoughts on what it takes to teach improv. Jake's Plugs: ⁠@WakeUpWithJacob ⁠@WeImprov

https://www.weimprov.org

Avery Girion is an improviser, sketch comedian, and writer from Los Angeles who was interested in comedy at a very young age. Avery and I share our rituals before an improv show. Avery's Plugs: ⁠@AveryGirion⁠

@OdysseyAtUCB

⁠@TheBabeMotel (Instagram)⁠

@BabeMotel (TikTok)

PJ McCormick is an artist from Texas by way of England with a wild journey through improv. PJ and I discuss the key to building a network in the improv community. PJ's Plugs:

⁠@PeeJMcCormick⁠

@LohanImprov

⁠@TheSharedExperienceStudio

Anja Boltz is an improviser, editor, and martial artist from Virginia who I am lucky enough to call a friend and teammate. Anja tells us her patented Three C's to finding your unique voice as an improviser Anja's Plugs:

@AnjaBoltz

⁠@Glass Clown

⁠@The Harold Experience

Anna Bezahler is an improviser, writer, coach, and teacher from Philadelphia who has been killing it in the LA indie improv scene and recently made it onto a UCB Harold Team. Anna and David discuss the differences between improvising onstage and during practice. Anna's Plugs: ⁠@AnnaBezahler ⁠@2prov_Wednesday ⁠@Shag.Improv

Eli Gonzalez is an actor, improviser, and potential writer from Los Angeles. He is an LA native and UCB stalwart that has recently made it onto Harold Night. Eli and David discuss ways they've used improv outside of black box theatres. Eli's Plugs: ⁠@Eli_Gonzz⁠ ⁠@FuckThisMonth⁠ ⁠@HeadbuttComedy ⁠⁠@WhistlingPrinceImprov ⁠@MenudoAfterDark⁠

Leah Knaur is a quintuple threat in Los Angeles. She has studied improv at pretty much every school you've ever heard of. Leah teaches us what it takes to pave your own way and never stop progressing in the LA comedy scene.

Leah's Plugs:

www.leahknaur.com

@leahknaur

@adeledazeemla

Basic Witches Podcast

Dayna LoBosco is an actor, improviser, and teacher from Long Island. Dayna shares her long, varied journey across the LA improv scene which eventually led to her to now-graduated UCB Harold Team, Leroy. She shares her secrets on how to play the Voice of Reason like a pro! Dayna's Plugs: @DaynaLoBosco @TheSharedExperienceStudio

May is an improviser and writer from North Hollywood. In this episode, we dive into May's unlikely, but inevitable, journey to improv which has brought her to UCB Harold Night. We also discuss whether funniness is natural or a learned skill. May's Plugs:

Instagram: @MayDarmon

Indie Teams: @Shag.Improv, @PBJ.Improv, & @Emily.Improv

Sean Smith is an improviser from Georgia, by way of Chicago. In this episode, we discuss Sean's 12-year improv journey which has led him to the esteemed UCB Harold Night. We also compare and contrast our approaches to premise VS organic improv.

Sean's Plugs:

Instagram: @SeanSean213

Short film: @KillerViewsFilm

UCB Harold Team: @LohanImprov

Indie Teams: @GlassClownImprov & @STEMKidzLA

My name is David Luong and I'm an improviser based in Los Angeles. I am starting a new podcast called Luong Form Conversations to interview some of my favorite improvisers about improv training, theory, and hot takes. Look me up @DavidDLuong.